WASHINGTON — Yesterday, Congressman Ronny Jackson (TX-13) delivered major victories for the America First agenda by advancing critical reforms that restore accountability and transparency within the State Department. Congress has not reauthorized the State Department since 2002, and this bill makes essential policy updates to ensure the Department meets today’s challenges and makes America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
“For far too long, the State Department has grown into a massive bureaucracy with no accountability or direction, which has allowed rogue diplomats to push radical, woke agendas”, said Rep. Ronny Jackson. “This reauthorization restores strict commands and controls, puts America First, and ensures our diplomatic efforts are focused on serving the American people.”
America First Wins:
Restores Command and Control: Reinforces the State Department's authority over all public diplomacy under a single chain of command to ensure U.S. messages are unified, integrated, disciplined, and strategically directed.
Restoring Accountability: Requires a Global Public Diplomacy Strategy with annual reports to Congress, including clear metrics, benchmarks, and adversary-response assessments.
Reauthorization Core Missions: Strengthens the State Department by modernizing its structure, integrating security and foreign assistance functions, expanding sanctions and strategic communications, supporting U.S. businesses, and ensuring America leads globally with the tools necessary to counter threats, advance national security, and promote American interests.
Rep. Ronny Jackson’s Priorities Included in the Bill:
Codifies a President Trump Executive Order that ensures the foreign policy of the United States champions core American interests and always puts America and Americans first.
Codifies President Trump’s efforts to prohibit federal funds from directly or indirectly benefiting the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees, which has been used to advance Hamas’ terrorist activities against Israel.
Provides greater transparency on funds contributed by the United States to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East during the Biden-Harris administration.
Requests a briefing from the Department of State on the Administration’s ongoing efforts to end the conflict in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and encourage U.S. private investment in the Great Lakes region.
Authorizes an Assistant Secretary and Bureau for Commercial Diplomacy to work with foreign nations and companies to encourage U.S. private investment abroad when it benefits the American economy or strengthens national security.
Reviews the State Department’s efforts to impose tangible and significant consequences on International Criminal Court (ICC) officials, employees, and agents responsible for the ICC’s transgressions against Israel.
Advances efforts to expand trade and investment with African countries to boost economic growth, create jobs, and strengthen strategic partnerships to counter Chinese influence in the region.
Authorizes a Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords, Negev Forum, and Related Integration and Normalization Fora and Agreements to build on the historic Abraham Accords and advance President Trump’s efforts in the Middle East.
Ensures the State Department can access information maintained by other federal agencies on foreign nationals to better adjudicate U.S. visa and passport applications.
Authorizes the Counterterrorism Bureau at the Department of State to collaborate with the broader Intelligence Community on issues related to national security.
Examines how the State Department assesses breakaway or unrecognized governments and America’s engagement with them.
Directs the United States to oppose any actions by the United Nations to expand Palestine’s “Permanent Observer State” status.
Ensures accountability on Department of State assets in countries with high terrorist activity.
Drives the Foreign Service Institute to teach American values and American First Principles to ensure our foreign service agents promote U.S. priorities abroad.
Requires Consular Affairs to notify Congress whenever it diverts visa or service fee funds to non-consular programs.
Repeals the Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act of 2001 to advance the Trump administration’s efforts to negotiate with the country.
Allows only the flag of the United States, the POW/MIA flag, and the flag of the country in which a State Department installation is located to fly at any U.S. installation.
Directs the State Department to develop a written counterterrorism strategy for each country or region with significant terrorist threats or U.S. Counter Terrorism engagement.
Rep. Ronny Jackson’s Amendments Included at Markup:
Expanding and Executing the Geneva Consensus Declaration
Authorizes the State Department to advance the Geneva Consensus Declaration which works to expand health care access for women and children, recognize that the family is foundational to society, and reaffirm the right to life at all stages.
Authorizes the America First Opportunity Fund
This fund would give the Secretary of State the authority to consolidate fragmented and inefficient foreign assistance programs to make strategic investments that make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
